U.S. patent application number 12/381740 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-06 for high rate primary lithium battery with solid cathode.
Invention is credited to Joseph B. Kejha.
Application Number | 20090197163 12/381740 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40932014 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090197163 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kejha; Joseph B. |
August 6, 2009 |
High rate primary lithium battery with solid cathode
Abstract
A safe high rate primary lithium battery with solid cathode and
a lithium anode is provided, having a high rate of discharge and
higher energy density due to the lithiated cathode materials
contained therein.
Inventors: |
Kejha; Joseph B.;
(Meadowbrook, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Zachary T. Wobensmith, III
7746 101st Court
Vero Beach
FL
32967-2871
US
|
Family ID: |
40932014 |
Appl. No.: |
12/381740 |
Filed: |
March 17, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11107569 |
Apr 18, 2005 |
|
|
|
12381740 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
429/163 ;
977/773 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M 4/0438 20130101;
H01M 4/505 20130101; H01M 2004/028 20130101; H01M 4/525 20130101;
H01M 6/5088 20130101; H01M 2300/004 20130101; H01M 50/411 20210101;
H01M 6/166 20130101; H01M 6/162 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
429/163 ;
977/773 |
International
Class: |
H01M 2/02 20060101
H01M002/02 |
Claims
1. A high rate primary lithium battery with solid cathode which
comprises: At lease one cathode of lithiated high discharge rate
material capable of at least 20C rate, at least one anode of
lithium metal foil, a current collector engaged with said anode, a
separator in contact with said cathode and in contact with said
anode, a current collector engaged with said cathode. an
electrolyte contained in said separator and in contract with said
anode and said cathode, and a leak and moisture proof enclosure
surrounding said anode, said cathode said separator, and said
electrolyte, whereby a higher energy density and power density and
low self discharge battery than a lithium-ion battery is
achieved.
2. A battery as defined in claim 1 in which; said battery is a
bi-cell having a central anode, a separator on each side, and a
cathode on each side thereof.
3. A battery as defined in claim 1, in which; said battery is a
bi-cell having a central cathode, a separator on each side, and, an
anode on each side thereof.
4. A battery as defined in claim 1 in which said separator is of
polytetrafluoroethylene with a thickness of 0.5 to 1.0 mil, and a
porosity of 35 to 60%.
5. A battery as defined in claim 1 in which; said cathode material
contains a lithiated cobalt oxide.
6. A battery as defined in claim 1 in which; said cathode contains
a lithiated manganese oxide spinel.
7. A battery as defined in claim 1 in which; said electrolyte
comprises one mole of lithium hexafluorophospate salt, in ethylene
carbonate, dimethyl carbonate and ethylmethyl carbonate having a
1:1:1 weight ratio.
8. A battery as defined in claim 1 in which; said lithiated
cathodic material is in the form of nano-particles.
9. A battery as defined in claim 1 which is first charged prior to
use as a primary battery.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation in part application of my
prior application Ser. No. 11/107,569 filed Apr. 18, 2005
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS
[0002] The subject matter of this invention is shown and described
in the disclosure document of Joseph B. Kejha, document No. 546,575
filed Feb. 9, 2004 and entitled "High Rate Primary Lithium Battery
With Solid Cathode and Low Temperature Secondary Lithium
Battery".
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] This invention relates to high rate lithium batteries with
solid cathodes.
[0005] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0006] It has been recognized that there is a need for a safe high
rate primary lithium battery, and which has a higher energy density
than lithium-ion batteries.
[0007] High rate lithium primary batteries with liquid cathodes
(catholytes), such as thionylchloride, or S0.sub.2 are known in the
art, but suffer from their propensity to overheat, and these
catholytes are very dangerous as they cause excessive pressure and
leaks, and also which have an inherent corrosive nature and low
boiling point.
[0008] Prior art lithium batteries with solid cathodes have high
energy density, and are safer than lithium batteries with liquid
cathodes, but the prior art batteries with solid cathodes suffer
from an inherently low discharge rate.
[0009] To achieve the desired high rate characteristics of lithium
primary batteries, the typical solid cathode material (such as
Mn0.sub.2, CF.sub.x, etc.) is replaced with lithiated cobalt oxide
(LiC.sub.o0.sub.2) or lithiated manganese oxide spinel
(LiMn.sub.20.sub.4), or other lithiated high discharge rate
materials, and preferably these lithiated materials should be in
the form of nano-sized particles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It has now been found that high rate primary lithium battery
with solid cathode, which is safer than a high rate lithium battery
with a liquid cathode, can be obtained by using cathodes of
lithiated high discharge rate materials.
[0011] The principal object of the invention is to provide a
primary, high discharge rate lithium battery with a solid cathode
that has a higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries.
[0012] A further object of the invention is to provide a primary
high-discharge rate battery of the character aforesaid, which has
low self discharge.
[0013] A further object of the invention is to provide a battery of
the character aforesaid which is simple and inexpensive to
construct.
[0014] A further object of the invention is to provide a battery of
the character aforesaid which is durable and long lasting in
service.
[0015] A further object of the invention is to provide a battery of
the character aforesaid which is particularly suitable for mass
production.
[0016] Other objects and advantageous features of the invention
will be apparent from the description and claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] The nature and characteristic features of the invention will
be more readily understood from the following description taken in
connection with the accompanying drawing forming part thereof in
which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a battery constructed
in accordance with the invention, and
[0019] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a battery constructed in
accordance with the invention.
[0020] It should, of course, be understood that the description and
drawing herein are merely illustrative, and that various
modifications and changes can be made in the structures disclosed
without departing from the spirit of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] When referring to the preferred embodiments, certain
terminology will be utilized for the sake of clarity. Use of such
terminology is intended to encompass not only the described
embodiments, but also technical equivalents, which operate and
function in substantially the same way to bring about the same
result.
[0022] Referring now to the drawings a preferred primary cell or
battery 10 is therein illustrated, which is shown as a prismatic
bi-cell. The cell 10 has an anode 11 in the middle, which is of
lithium foil, with a separator 12 on each side, laminated and
preferably welded to cathodes 14 and 15, which are located on each
side of the anode 11. The separators 12 are in contact with the
anode 11. The separators are preferably constructed of porous
ultrathin Teflon, (polytetrafluoethylene) with a thickness of 0.5
to 1.0 mil, and having a porosity of 35% to 60%, which is available
from W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc., Dallas, Tex., but can be of
any suitable polymer which is ionically conductive and preferably
non-reactive with lithium.
[0023] The anode 11 has a collector 16 attached thereto, preferably
of copper and the cathodes 14 and 15 have collector grids 17 and 18
engaged therewith.
[0024] The collector grids 17 and 18 are preferably of aluminum,
and preferably have full width terminal tabs. (not shown) The cell
10 is enclosed in a leak and moisture proof container 20 of
well-known type.
[0025] The cathodes 14 and 15 are preferably formed of a lithiated
high discharge rate material, such as lithiated cobalt oxide
(LiC.sub.o0.sub.2), or lithiated manganese oxide spinel
(LiMn.sub.20.sub.4), or a lithiated mixed oxide, and more
preferably of any lithiated cathode material comprised of nano
sized particles.
[0026] The cell 10 is activated by an electrolyte and preferably 1M
LiPF.sub.6/EC/DMC/EMC, where LiPF.sub.6 is a highly conductive
lithium salt, EC is ethylene carbonate, DMC is dimethyl carbonate
and EMC is ethylmethyl carbonate, and in which the carbonates are
in a 1:1:1 weight ratio, and where M=mole, and LiPF.sub.6 is
lithium hexafluorophosphate. The light weight lithium metal anodes
provide higher energy density than lithium-ion type cells, with the
same type cathode materials. It should be noted that the bi-cell
can also be reversed, with the cathode in the middle and the two
anodes on the outside.
[0027] Upon assembly of the cell it is initially preferably charged
one time to 4.3 volts or any safe and desired voltage, which causes
lithium from the cathodes to plate onto the anode, but does not
cause dendrite growth of any danger and does not cause
shorting.
[0028] The cell 10 is then ready for a high rate discharge rate, as
a primary cell, and can achieve at least 2C and up to a 50C
discharge rate, or more, at room temperature, and at 100% depth of
discharge (DOD) where 1C=1 hour discharge rate to full depth of
discharge, usually from 4.3 volts to a 3.0 volts, or to 0.1 have
found, that these discharge rares are possible due to immediate
availability of lithium from the surface of the lithium foil anode,
and not possible with li-ion cells. This is an unexpected result.
Also, current lithium primary cells do not have this capability,
due to non-lithiated cathodes
[0029] The self discharge rate of the cell is usually very low
compared to Lithium-ion cells. This very low rate is due to the
passivating layer on the lithium anode surface, and which is
similar to that found with other primary lithium batteries. The
high 3.7 volt nominal voltage also increases energy density of a
multicelled battery, over other primary batteries, resulting in
less cells required in series, which also reduces the assembly
cost.
[0030] The cells described may also be of other types of
construction, such as rolled cylindrical, rolled flat "prismatic"
etc., but the described materials of the electrodes and The
described methods must be used to achieve similar results.
[0031] It will thus be seen that safe high rate primary lithium
batteries with solid cathodes, are described, with which the
objects of the invention are achieved.
* * * * *